Socio-economic position, oral pain and oral health-related quality of life among South African adults

Abstract

Validation of the OHIP-14 for a South African adult population using CFA resulted in a 12-item scale (OHIP-12) with excellent reliability (α =0.94), but the structural pathway varied across the socio-economic groups. The prevalence of oral pain was 19.4%, and varied significantly only across area-level SEP. Cost of care over the six months was estimated at about one billion Rand. Of those residing in the lowest SEP areas, 20.8% reported that they “did nothing” to relieve their last pain episode. Oral pain resulted in an average of two days lost per person from work/school over a six months period. The prevalence of OHIP was 16.2%. Those who had never visited a dental clinic had significantly better OHRQoL and less pain experience compared to those who previously visited a dental clinic. Both individual-level and area-level SEP were associated with OHRQoL in the bi-variate analysis, but these effects did not remain significant in multivariable-adjusted analysis. In particular, the respondents‟ race completely attenuated the effect of individual-level SEP on OHRQoL, while the experience of oral pain in the past six months completely attenuated the effect of area-level SEP on OHRQoL. Both absolute and relative inequality in oral health among the South African adult population was greater in the highest SEP areas than in the areas of lowest SEP